Misguided Affection
by MouHitoriNoKei
Summary: Serenity and Tristan get together, but a one night stand with Duke Devlin results in a child...[Chapter 4 is up! The final chapter!] COMPLETE Language in chappy 3...beware
1. Eve

New Yu-Gi-Oh fic...hooray! Um...okay...I don't know how far I'm taking this one...but I'll get chappy 2 done, and if I get like...5 reviews or so, chappy 2 goes up! I hope you enjoy!

Duke: *Points to the girl clinging to his earring* She doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, and SHE'LL NEVER OWN MY EARRING!  


Dammit....hehehe

Chapter 1

The day was beautiful, lit with the glorious sun. The gentle rays peeked through the blinds of the small house, casting luminous shadows on the hardwood floor. In a rickety rocking chair sat a woman, cascading russet hair just gently kissing her shoulders. She sat, rocking gently back and forth, with a small bundle caressed in her arms. She smiled gently, looking into the eyes of the bundle that sat upon her lap.

"How is she?" A voice, stern yet caring, gently spoke, a hand coming down on the woman's tensed shoulder.

"Why do you care?" The woman bit back, shaking off the hand. She sighed, turning slightly to see the man's face. She hated that face so much, the face that ruined her love life. He was only a fling that amounted into more after he impregnated her. She was happy with the man with the chocolate colored hair, but the man with the ebony hair ruined the life they had together. 

Toying with the small tuffs of brown, almost black hair on the child's head, the woman looked coldly upon the man with eyes made of amber stone. "Serenity, she's my daughter...."

"Not by choice..." She snapped. The air grew tense as an awkward silence inserted itself. Taking a strand of his raven hair between his delicate fingers, he began to twirl the hair slowly around his index finger. Those words hurt him, tearing at his gentle heart. 

His jade eyes showed no pain or hurt, then only showed disgust with Serenity's attitude metamorphosis. Deep inside, all that was visible was heartbreak and pain. He loved her, but she loved the one he hated. It was a kaleidoscope of hurt and pain, never ending and eternal. She had shattered his heart and used it to cradle the child in her arms. 

"Serenity..."

"Not another word, Duke. Out!" She shrieked, pointing to the door of the small apartment her and her boyfriend shared. The apartment had thin, pale walls and a creme colored carpet. It seemed like the perfect place to raise a child. Though Duke disagreed. The only place good enough for his daughter to be was with him, not with some man playing a more adult game of 'House' with a mommy, a daddy, and a baby girl. No, the child's home was in her father's arms.

"Please, Serenity. You're not being fair! You can't lie to her forever!" He paused, feelings the tears swell up in his eyes. "I'm her father and you can't deny that..."

Rage engulfed her voice as she stood up, placing the child in the silken crib that sit beside the rocking chair. Walking up to the man with the die hanging out of his ear, she screamed in a tone unmet by the hatred. "SHE WILL NEVER KNOW OF THE MISTAKE I MADE! SHE WILL NEVER KNOW THAT HER FATHER WAS NOTHING MORE THEN A STUPID MISTAKE!" Her voice trembled as she looked deep into Duke's emerald eyes, which shattered like a pane of already cracked glass. With that, he turned his back to the woman he loved and walked out, slamming the door behind him. Serenity took the child in her arms, holding her close to her chest.

"Eve, my baby, you'll never know you had _that_ for a father..." The door opened and Serenity smiled at the shadow that enter. "Hey, Daddy...." She grinned, the shadow kissing her cheek gently, then moving down to kiss the baby's forehead. 

"Hey, precious." He whispered to the baby as Serenity tugged on his arm. 

"He came..." Without further explanation, it was understood. He, the unfaithful bastard who had stolen the love of his life away for one night, just to feel the silken touch of her pale skin again. He, the unnamed one that ruined the family that was yet to be made. He was the one most hated in his eyes. "Tristan...?" The innocent voice of his lover rang, as he looked to the woman and the child that was not his. 

She eyed him as he kissed her gently. "Don't worry about him. Eve will never know about him." Kissing her again, he hoped to wash these tedious memories of the dice flinging moron known as Duke Devlin. "Eve is my baby..." He grinned a sheepish grin, taking the frail child in his arms, the child being only about a month old. Her eyes, the same crystal auburn as Serenity's, glistened with purity and innocence, unaware of any of the bitterness surrounding her. "My baby..." He whispered again, whirling the child around in perilous circles, giggling. Serenity couldn't help but smile, though guilt engulfed her vision.

_I mean, yeah, Duke is Eve's father, it's obvious, but Tristan's still in denial. I guess we'll have to get a DNA test or something...but, I know it's Duke's. She has the elegantly idiotic beauty...._Her thoughts trailed off into whirling pools of guilt and deceit. _No matter...I love Tristan, Tristan loves me, and we both love Eve. It's as simple as that..._Things could never be that simple.


	2. God Grant Me Serenity

Hooray!!!! Chapter 2 ish up!!! Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and thanks for everything who reviewed....

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh....nor Duke's earrings....*Sobs*

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Chapter 2

Tapping the pencil against the clean sheet of paper, his mind went blank, only memories of her swirling around with the neon colors of the night before. He went out drinking again, like many nights before. The stingingly sweet taste of the liquor clung to his lips as he wrote down the solemn words he wrote down each and every night since both of the girls in his life left. 

*God grant me the Serenity

to accept the things

I cannot change, courage

to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know

the difference.*

He seemed to smile at these words as he wrote them with the worn down lead of the pencil. The years went by, and they were happy, only to have everything shatter in shards of hurt, pain, and despair when she said she loved someone else. He accepted it with a heavy heart, only to have her come back to his door one more time, seeking the compassion only he could give her. One night of compassion, one night of the purest of love, one night of shared passion between the two, and she was gone, back into the arms of the other man. She didn't love him, did she? No. He finally realized it when he was classified as a 'one night stand'. 

She called six weeks after with news that overjoyed him, and horrified him. She was pregnant. Who's baby was it? He knew perfectly well. It was his, but she'd be in denial, saying she never slept with him, even though the truth was unavoidable. 

He walked over to her house, begging to know who's baby it was. She shouted things like 'You'll never know!' or 'I never made love to you! It's his!" It ripped him apart, to know that the one he loved would deny their time of intimacy. Claws of steel tearing out his heart. He patiently waited the nine months, and the child was born, a beautiful baby girl with auburn eyes and hints of ebony hair peeking out of her gentle head. She was beautiful and he knew it. The hospital room was a war zone. Crying, screaming, and threats of disembowelment. Dozens of doctors had to hold back the two raging egos, snarling, knowing they would butt heads at one point. The black haired man, knowing this was pointless, walked out once more, leaving behind the angel which fell from heaven and presented itself as his supposed daughter, Eve. 

Bringing himself out of the trance, he rose, retiring to the cold bed, lonely and forgotten. Wrapping himself in a cocoon of cloth, he sighed deeply, closing his eyes, seeing but one thing.......Eve.........


	3. Departure From A Life Once Known

About time! Chapter 3 is up! Before anything, I wanna thank everyone who reviewed....

Broken Void-End of Infinity: About 'God Grant Me Serenity', well, thank one of my mom's magazines for that one. Cheap ad for something of other, but it fits, don't it? ^_^

SaiaiTokoya: I know you! lol. Anyway, chapter 3 is up for ya and I hope you enjoi it, and now you won't have to come to my hellhole of a house to read it. Works for both of us!

GreenEyesWhiteDragon: Thanks for the e-mail! I appreciate your support and you wanting to read more. About making the chapters longer, I've been tryin for ya! And remember, this chapter is just for you! Again, thanks for the e-mails!

pyro pocky: *Hands box of tissues* Sorry...not a Tristan fan...it's just the hair, I know it...hehehe. Anyway, thanks for the review.

Yamachan *is my* man: I'm flattered that you think I have talent. -^.^- and yes, Serenity is quite selfish, but that's just me *Is very jealous of women who get to be with men she wants* *cough* DUKE *cough* And no, I don't think I'll ever do a SerenityXSeto...only one person belongs with Seto...and that's Joey...^____^

LilianJieGurl: Didn't mean to make you cry! Gomen! Thanks for the compliment too ^_^ And...who knows...maybe Duke and Serenity will end up together...hehehe...

Aikenka: Yea...Duke is a sobstory waiting to happen, ain't he? But, we love him anyway!

Pheonix Tamer: Rock on! Duke, be the independent man! Yea! My outburst is done...hehe. Thanks for the review.

SpeedRacerNJ1: I know you too...well...you better read the rest of this fic, RockHead, or the angel will cry silent tears of hurt (Even replying to a review, I rule...heh)

ShadowYami: I agree on SerenityXDuke being one of the most Kawaii things in Yu-Gi-Oh (The most Kawaii is me and Malik...hehehe) Anyway, thanks much for the review!

Well, I said my thanks, now you can do me a favor and read the rest of 'Misguided Affection'! 

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh...just my luck...*Holds up Playstation game* But I do own this...*Points out name* Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelists Of The Roses! YEA!

-

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Chapter 3

"But, I love you! You know that!"

"Bullshit! You fucked him, didn't you?!"

Silence. Her body trembled, eyes upon her lover. His eyes raging with the fires of Hell. She could only sob, thinking of tedious lies. Her mind was a tangle of stories untold.

"I knew it! You did! So, Eve isn't mine, is she?!"

"Well...I..." She stammered, words not touching her lips. How could she explain a senseless one night stand?

His cheeks reddened as he clenched his fists, whipping around and hitting the nearest wall, his knuckles making deep chasms of hatred. "No more lies! Is she mine or not?!" He snarled, looking at the shaking Serenity. 

"Tristan...I..."

"WELL?!"

"SHE'S NOT YOURS, DAMMIT!" She spat out in spiteful whispers. "Can't you see? Black hair, brown eyes. It's Duke's baby...I know it." She walked over to the cradle drenched in silk, picking up the child and cradling her. "I cheated on you, Tristan, and I'm sorry. Please, forgive me..."

A moment of silence swept over them, but that moment felt like an eternity for her, watching a smile play on Tristan's lips. Her eyes darted back and forth, from her lover to her daughter, fear building up.

"Forgive you? You want _me_ to forgive _you_?" He laughed some, a short, shrill snicker if anything, as he grinned sinisterly. "Why should I forgive you? You're nothing by a conniving slut!" He smiled, seeing the tears well up in her auburn eyes. "I can't believe you would do this! What? Am I not good enough that you have to go sleep with that freak?!" He barked, Eve's soft eyes opening up, looking to the man she thought to be the best and only man in the world screaming. She started whimpering, her eyes becoming even softer, like the soft waterlogged sands beaten down by the fierce ocean.

"Tristan..." Serenity spoke through her own tears, holding her baby closer to her body, trying to silence the shrill cries of hatred. "Please...Think of the baby. She's-"

The monster snapped again. "NOT MINE! I don't have to care about the bundle of crap anymore. She's not my baby." He said, a smug look of arrogance plastered all over his face. The porcelain faced child began to cry softly, tears of glossy sadness cascading down a face that displayed so much angst. "Shut that thing up!" 

With darkened eyes, Serenity looked up, whispering sweet nothings in the child's ear, the whimpers subsiding into short, calmed breathes.

"Serenity, before I do something I'll regret, get out. Get out of my house and most importantly, get the hell out of my life." He said calmly, pointing to the front door, with a bony finger. She hung her head, making her way to the small bedroom they shared, packing him some of her belongings, her clothes, Eve's clothes and toys, in a small suitcase that sat collecting dust in the corner of the closet. Stealing on last glimpse at the life she once had, she let the tears slide down her cheeks.

"Goodbye, Tristan." And with that, she was gone, gone into the twilight hours of the gentle night, the night who now watched over her. Eve lay sleeping her in arm, the other arm dragging along the suitcase filled with memories.

_I can't go to Joey...he'd kill Tristan...Yugi and Téa have their own place...Kaiba? Yeah, right. Where else can I go? _She knew the answer, she just couldn't see it, being blinded by the misguided affection she felt for Tristan, the man who cradled her heart, killing her softly. She could never look back to him, but who else was there?


	4. Lullaby

Well, it's the final chapter. Will Serenity and Duke get together? Who knows? Oh, well...I do...hehe. Anyway, I thank you all for reviewing and please, continue to review my work. Who knows? Maybe a sequel? hehehe...we'll see. Thank you all again...^_^

DISCLAIMER: For the 100th time, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, SO GET OFF MY BACK!! 

Chapter 4

He sat by the open window, the fresh scent of rain encasing him. The room was dark and silent with only his gentle breathing producing the eternal melody of silent words not spoken only drowned out by the soft pitter patter of the tears of the angel's who felt the angst of all those souls on Earth. With a gentle sigh, he watched the rain cascade down the fogged glass of the window, scribbling little messages of sadness, illegible to the naked eye and only read with the heart. 

Pushing his ebony bangs away from his clouded eyes, he fell into a state of unconscious to aware to be called sleep, yet too dazed to be called awake. Dreams of a maiden clad in a flowing white gown danced before his eyes, long auburn hair gently kissing her shoulders and dark, mysterious eyes set upon him with a smile upon her silken lips. He welcomed this maiden into his mind, allowing her to fondle with the untainted memories of love he had concealed away in the annals of time. In the awkward sleep, he smiled, only to be pulled out of his somber dream with a knock on the door, followed by a clap of mighty thunder. Rubbing his eyes like a child yanked out of a happy dream of candy canes and laughter, he rose, trudging to the door. The knocking became more frantic, panicked. 

"Alright, alright, I'm coming." He said sheepishly, placing a tired hand on the doorknob. Turning it slowly, what stood before his eyes shocked him, pleased him, and tickled him pink, though he kept the stern mask on. 

"Serenity...?" He spoke gently, watching the tiny droplets drip from the waterlogged strands of hair that clung to her pale face. 

She only peered up at him, her shivering body clinging to a dampened bundle of white cloth. "Hey, Duke." She began with a saddened voice, "It's pretty cold out." She laughed through clattering teeth. Duke's emerald eyes widened as he lay a tender hand on her wrist, pulling her inside the warm room. 

"Go into my room and get yourself changed. Just grab a T-shirt or something and a pair of my sweatpants. You should be warm enough in that." He took the suitcase from her trembling hand, setting it aside. His eyes focused upon the bundle that lay motionless in her arms. Fear suddenly took over him, looking up at her. "That's not-" She nodded simply, handing the bundle to him. He took it with quivering arms, moving the small cloth around the object, and with eyes clouded with tears, he laid eyes upon the blue, quivering lips of his daughter. Letting out a slight gasp, he rushed her away quickly, stripping her of the dampened cocoon of cloth she sat in, wrapping her in a soft towel. 

He returned to see Serenity sitting on the couch, shivering a bit. He returned Eve to her mother's arms and rushed away again, this time returning with a blanket for her.

"Thanks." She said simply as Duke wrapped the blanket around her frail shoulders. Her body eased up under the warmth of the cloth against her icy body. She looked up at the stern faced man hovering over her. She knew he knew, but he said nothing, he only let a smile play upon his lips. 

"So, what happened?" He asked almost playfully with a grin. Through clattering teeth, she told the story of Tristan's cruel words. Duke listened on attentively, cradling the sleeping child in his arms. The sadness in her voice brought Duke is feel tears trying to escape, yet they were forced back by a strong will. 

"So...he kicked me out." She finished up, seeing Duke was no longer sitting down across from her. Cocking an eyebrow, she looked up to see Duke smiling face, a cup of steaming hot chocolate in his hand. He pushed it towards hers as she took it, nodding thankfully, sipping at it through tightly drawn lips. He eyed her, sitting across from her on a rickety stool, his daughter resting quietly in his arms. She cooed softly in her sleep, bringing a grin upon his face. Serenity looked on, her eyes twinkling in amazement. She had never realized what a wonderful father Duke Devlin was, what a kind, sweet, handsome...

"Oh, Serenity." Duke whispered, bringing the girl out of a deep thought. She looked up, nodding. "There's a spare room for you...there's a crib in there too. I kept it, yanno, just incase." He smiled casually, pointing to the hallway with his free hand. "Second door to the left." As Serenity rose, Duke kissed the sleeping child's forehead with tender lips, handing her back to her mother reluctantly, only wanting to hold her forever. Serenity took the frail child in her arms, making her way to the room. Duke watched the woman he loved walk away again, yet this time, she was in reach. He retreated to bed, sleeping soundly, unlike many nights before.

~*~

The baby wailed, causing a startled awakening for the mother. She looked at the digital clock that sat to her left on the small nightstand. 3:29AM. Rubbing whatever sleep remained in her eyes away, she picked up the child, patting her gently on the back.

"Shhhh. It's okay, Eve." She sat on the bed, cradling the baby, whispering sweet words into the twilight. She continued to cry, letting out howls and whimpers that pierced that ears like a million knives. Serenity thought a bit, thinking of what her mother had told her, stories she had recited like nursery rhymes to her every night, about the troubles of child care. Serenity roamed around in distant memories, remembering the silent words of her mother.

_I used to sing to you all the time. You would cry and cry, and I would sing you the same song every night, and you would always doze off..._

The words came back to her slowly, filling her mind with the memories of the long nights alone in the crib with no one to hold her. She looked down at Eve and began to sing those same words that comforted her back when she was her age. 

*"I don't know what words I can say.

The wind has a way to talk to me. 

Flowers sleep, a silent lullaby. 

I pray for reply. 

I'm ready." She sang in a sweet, serene voice, seeing Eve's whimpers subside into childish coos. 

*"Quiet day calms me..." Another voice soon chimed in, a soft, yet masculine voice. Serenity turned her head to the doorway, seeing a figure leaning casually against the door. 

*"Oh, Serenity...

Someone please tell me.

Ohhmm, what is it they say?

Maybe I will know one day." At the door stood Duke Devlin, the moonlight glimmering of his bare chest. He smiled, walking to Serenity's side, sitting next to her. He sang the first verse again in sweet whispers to his baby girl.

*"I don't know what words I can say.

The wind has a way to talk to me.

Flowers sleep, a silent lullaby

I pray for reply.

I'm ready." Serenity eyed him with such love only found in the hearts of those who had been shot by the arrow of the mischievous Cupid. Wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder, Duke held her long into the fading night, the morning dawning upon the two as a couple once again. Serenity dug her head into his chest, sighing deeply. She whispering sweet words as Duke kissed the top of her forehead, which smelled of the morning glory. 

"I'm ready...."

(A/N: All the parts with the lil * next to it is from Outlaw Star. "Melphina's Song" Thought it fit...Oh, and I don't own Outlaw Star...Geez, you people are pushy..)


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